Symonds to weigh up options

June 08, 2009 10:35 IST

Disgraced Australian all rounder Andrew Symonds today returned home after being banished from from the Twenty20 World Cup in England and said he was still to weigh up his options before divulging his future international career.

Symonds, who has been recalled by the Cricket Australia for violating rules by leaving the team hotel without informing anyone, reached Brisbane early this morning and said he had a "lot to consider" at the moment and would interact with media only after he had "gathered his thoughts".

The 33-year-old met with Cricket Australia head of operations Michael Brown and then read out a statement before being whisked away by his former Queensland Bulls teammate Joe Dawes.

"I've got a fair bit to consider I suppose, and I appreciate you all coming out here this morning, (but) I will come out and make a full and proper statement when I've gathered my thoughts and sat down with friends," Symonds told the media waiting for him at the airport.

The controversial player still has one-year contract remaining with the Cricket Australia. CA Spokesperson Peter Young said the Board expected Symonds to speak out about his future soon.

"It's now in Andrew's hands what he wants to do. Everyone is waiting to hear what he's thinking and appropriately he wants to take a few days to weigh things up," Young said.

Symonds breached his pledge to CA by missing from the team hotel for a late-night drinking session after Australia's warm-up match against New Zealand on Tuesday.

He headed out again the next morning and had several drinks at a gathering with teammates to watch the telecast of the State of Origin rugby league match, featuring Queensland side.

Under the terms of his personally-tailored deal with CA, Symonds was permitted to drink with team-mates in the dressing room after matches and at team hotels.

Drinking in public, however, was banned under the agreement. No other player on CA's central contract list is bound by such an agreement.

The personal contract was drawn up after Symonds' infamous 'gone-fishing' episode last year which resulted in him being ordered home from Australia's limited overs series against Bangladesh in Darwin.

Meanwhile, Symonds agent Matt Fearon said the all-rounder had been struggling to tolerate the strict team guidelines.

"There are no excuses but if you want to look at how this came about, the culture of the Australian cricket team has changed and Andrew has been left behind," Fearon said.

"He just hasn't been able to change with it and was under enormous pressure to adjust. He no longer felt he was part of the team unit and has probably felt that way for some time. He has really been outside his comfort zone. It's a great shame because, in his own way, he really was committed to playing cricket for Australia."